The Tarot
by HallowRain8587
Summary: In the Major & Minor Arcana Classroom we will be moving through the Tarot deck. This is a series of short stories, each chapter written as an assignment for the class commencing with the Fool or 0 card representing beginnings. Pairings and genres will be determined by the cards.
1. Chapter 1 The Fool

The Tarot

**J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and his world. I am just visiting.**

**Major & Minor Arcana Classroom Assignment #8**: write a story, considering the theme of beginnings. Choice of theme: Leaving Hogwarts, and starting a new career. 300 word min.

**Chapter 1. The Fool**

Commencement, what an interesting word and yet it is so descriptive. At the end of your education in many cultures call it a graduation. To many of the students at Hogwarts the completion of their school days was not called a graduation per se. It was however a culmination of years of study and a time for celebration. To Draco Malfoy it was a commencement. The worst part of his life was over and the best part surely was beginning. Students from the lower grades gathered in the Great Hall and prepared for the ceremony. The tables had all been moved to the sides and the benches had been lined up theatre style for the students and parents. The first two rows were set aside for the seventh and eighth years and the staff. The staff table had been pushed to the back of the dais and chairs had been set up for the Headmistress, Deputy Headmaster, the Board of Governors, the Head Girl and the Head Boy. In years when the students who were first and second in the class were not Head Girl or Head Boy, there would be chairs for them also.

The choir filed in single file and assembled across the front of the Hall. Professor Flitwick followed his charges as the caboose of the train and took his place in front of the choir. He raised his baton, nodded, and the choir sang as the seventh and eighth years filed in and filled the first two rows of seats. They were followed by the teachers. The honored guests mounted the stairs at the front of the room to take seats on the dais. The last two to stand in front of their seats were Head Girl and first in her class, Hermione Granger, and Head Boy and second in his class, Draco Malfoy. As the choir finished the piece, Professor Flitwick nodded to the assembly which was seated. The choir filed to their seats in the Hall and Headmistress McGonagall stepped to the eagle podium.

After a few words of welcome, she introduced the Honored Guests and then called Draco Malfoy up to speak. His hands were clammy and his throat was dry. He felt a hand on his arm as he stood to move to the podium. Turning he saw Hermione smile at him and smirk, "Kill 'em, Tiger." This was the shot of confidence he needed.

Draco placed his parchment of notes on the podium and began his speech. "Little did we know when the classes of 1998/1999 boarded the Hogwarts Express on September 1, 1991 that we were embarking on the most unusual adventure a school child would ever take." The words flowed freely and he rarely glanced at his notes. "This class is unique in the history of Hogwarts for normally you would have seventh years finishing this portion of their lives and beginning the new. This class is a combination of seventh and eighth years. Here we have students who are the bravest embodiment of Godric Gryffindor the wizarding world has ever seen. Here we have students are the most loyal and would make Helga Hufflepuff proud. Rowena Ravenclaw would be hard pressed to find smarter, wiser students. Lastly, you have students pressed with the need for cunning allowed them to help defeat one of the darkest wizards in history. This dark lord was not a Slytherin to be emulated, but the students that won the battle were. Now you may think that these traits were unique to each house, but I am here to assure you that each and every student that is in this class and has completed their schooling is a mixture of all of these traits. The smartest witch of her generation was not a Ravenclaw, but a Gryffindor. The members of DA, Dumbledore's Army, were from every house except from Slytherin, but we could have used some of the bravery, knowledge and loyalty that this group shared. When the structured classes were not providing the education we needed to survive we adapted and adopted new methods of learning. We relied on our friends and even our enemies to learn from. The interruption of our education by the non-year last year was but another hill we had to climb and another test of our character. Some failed badly, some learned from their mistakes, others thrived and lived so that we all could survive. But when the final year came around we all came together to form the strongest class ever to complete their studies at Hogwarts. I am humbled to be allowed to call all my classmates my friends, something I would not have thought possible when I began this journey." He finished by thanking the Ministry for deeming him and some of his classmates acquitted of their crimes due to age during the war, the Board of Governors for allowing them to return to school to finish their education, and the Staff of Hogwarts for giving them a second chance.

As he took his seat, the assembly burst into applause then one by one the students followed by the parents and teachers gave him a standing ovation. Hermione stopped clapping long enough to grab his hand to pull him in to her whisper, "I am so proud of you." He felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.

Hermione was called up to speak next as Head Girl. "That is a tough act to follow," she began and all laughed. Five minutes later she wrapped up, "In the words of the American muggle poet, Robert Frost, in his poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", I leave this class and those to follow us with this thought '… I've promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep ….' We are just beginning our journeys through the next portion of our lives."

Headmistress McGonagall resumed her position at the podium. "We have a few announcements of apprenticeships and jobs that members of this class have accepted. We are proud to announce that Neville Longbottom will be apprenticing in Herbology under the instruction of Professor Sprout; Draco Malfoy will be apprenticing in Potions; and Hermione Granger will be apprenticing in Transfiguration. Ronald Weasley, Harry Potter, Cormac McLaggen, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, Luna Lovegood, Padma Patil, and Pansy Parkinson have been accepted as Auror trainees." She continued with the list and ended with a final announcement, "Ginny Weasley has been accepted as the newest Chaser for the Hollyhead Harpies." Let us give these talented students a big round of applause and congratulations on obtaining such important positions immediately out of school." The students were called up alphabetically from Hannah Abbott to Blaise Zabini and individually presented with their certificates of completion.

All filed outside while the Great Hall was reorganized for a dinner and dance to honor the graduates. Some parents wept tears of joy and others let out sighs of relief. This most interesting group of students who were once so divided that one would have thought that they would kill each, were hugging and kissing and patting each other on the back.

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><p>July first found Hermione, Neville and Draco sitting together on the Hogwarts Express reminiscing about the first trip they took this way.<p>

"… and then I tried to be really cool and meet Harry Potter because Father said he would be a good connection. Little did I know that I had already insulted him in Diagon Alley."

"Remember how you lost Trevor on the train and I went looking for him. I was so insecure and naïve and wanting to prove myself. I marched into the cabin where Harry and Ron were sitting, insulted Ron and stuck my wand in Harry's face and fixed his glasses."

"You were insecure, my whole life my family thought I might be a squib. When I was sorted into Gryffindor, I thought the hat had gone mental."

"I really do owe you a new Rememberall, Neville. Of course, if I hadn't thrown it, Harry wouldn't have become the youngest seeker of the century."

The comfortable talk continued the entire trip and onto the Thestral-drawn carriages. The rest of the staff were moving into their carriages in their own cliques. Hermione relaxed into the seat and between her two friends with a large grin on her face.

As the trio entered the castle, one of the elves said that the teachers were gathered in the Staff Lounge for supper. Winky told them the password was "_detention_" and asked if they knew where to go. Neville and Draco looked at each other and said, "No!" in unison as Hermione replied, "Sure!"

"When, where, how?" asked Draco.

"You forgot who," stated Neville.

"Oh, when Ron, Harry and I were exploring."

"Even Slytherins never found it and we thought we knew all of the hidden rooms, secret passages and short cuts."

"Did you look for the obvious?" Hermione inquired. "Where is the Head Table in the Great Hall? Do you know what is behind the paneling?"

"No, way! I have never seen a door," Draco exclaimed.

Hermione led the way to the center panel behind the Headmistress' Chair and whispered, "Detention." The panel slid aside and the cavernous Staff Room was accessible. It was like the Common Rooms for the Houses, but larger and more comfortably furnished. There were several tables and desks, overstuffed chairs and sofas and comfortable footstools. Bookshelves lined the walls and a large fireplace that obviously could be used as a floo was the centerpiece on one wall. The staff members were seated at the desks and the tables and the food was just appearing. The trio of apprentices was just in time for the meal. Conversation was congenial and lighthearted with a little gossip thrown in for spice. As the trays of cheese, crackers and fruit were brought out and wine was served, parchments and quills appeared for note-taking and the newcomers assumed correctly that the meeting would commence over dessert. Schedules were handed out to the teachers and apprentices. These were followed by syllabi. Last were the lists of students sorted by year rather than house as they had been in the past. The last order of business was to take the new apprentices to their quarters close to those of the master they would be training under.

Neville followed Professor Sprout to her quarters near the Hufflepuff House since she was the Hufflepuff Head of House.

Hermione was taken to the Gryffindor Head of House quarters and was told by the Headmistress that since she had taken over as Headmistress, these quarters had been empty. She asked Hermione to be Deputy Head of House until she finished her apprenticeship. After she had completed she would be given the opportunity to take over the position as Transfiguration Professor and Head of Gryffindor.

Draco was worried. Nobody had told him yet who the Potions Master was, just that it was one of the elite and "he had only agreed to teach three" years while training Draco. This had been a relief for he had no respect for Professor Slughorn's abilities as his mind had begun to go.

"Ahem," sounded pulling Draco back to reality. "Professor Snape, you aren't dead," said Draco, stating the obvious.

"No, I am not," replied his godfather, "and to quote Mark Twain, 'The report of my death was an exaggeration.' Now shall we adjourn to the dungeons?"


	2. Chapter 2 Lesson Learned

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the characters and situations in this story.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2. Lesson Learned<strong>

Neville Longbottom could never understand why he had been sorted into Gryffindor. He wasn't brave. Shoot he was hardly a wizard. He tried to be brave. He tried to stand up to Harry, Ron and Hermione whenever they were going to do something that got points subtracted. Hermione told him to stand up for what he believed, but it was so hard. In fact the first time he tried to do it he had ended up on detention with Hermione, Harry, Draco and Hagrid. The next time Hermione had literally stopped him dead in his tracks.

Now Hermione, Ron and Harry had skipped school for this their seventh year and were off to who knows where for who knows why. The only thing everyone knew was that Harry was being hunted as number one on the most wanted charts and Hermione and Ron were aiding and abetting. Ginny had come back to school and was not certain what was going on. She was broken hearted that they had left her behind without a word and no knowledge of the plans.

Luna was in a world of her own, like always, except that now it made more sense than usual. Her father was continually writing stories for the _"Quibbler"_ in support of Harry and providing a counterpoint to the ministry slanted _"Daily Prophet"_ which these days were neither daily nor prophetic. There seemed to be an "extra" edition every time someone thought they might have seen a black haired, green eyed man with a ginger male and a bushy-haired brunette female. The yellow journalism rag was constantly predicting their demise at the next borough, town, village, city or farm up the road.

These three had formed an unlikely trio tied together by the D.A. coins that they carried. He was scared that they would not survive, but Hermione's voice kept him going. Someone had to organize the rebellion reorganize the D.A. in order to protect the students against the group of Slytherins that were the successors to the Inquisition Squad which Umbridge had instituted. Muggleborn witches and wizards were not allowed to return even if they were not afraid for their lives. Some of the half-bloods had returned to Hogwarts this year and someone had to keep them alive. Someone had to protect what few first years that had come from the unfair punishment meted out by the Carrows. The Unlikely Trio was also unique in that they were all pureblood by birth and blood-traitors by conviction. This was their saving grace and kept them alive throughout school-year.

At first they just tried to create havoc. Well, not exactly try, but they had a mission. Ginny had told Luna and Neville that Dumbledore had willed the sword of Godric Gryffindor to Harry. She felt it was her mission to get it for him because it had to be important. Neville, in this first mission, was apprehensive. The success was not going to be easy because it was in the Headmaster's Office and Severus Snape was Headmaster. They made it in, but were caught in the act. Detention was meted out and points subtracted from Gryffindor to where the House was over one hundred points in the hole.

Neville was the staid base of the U.T. He was not a flighty person like Luna, nor was he as fiery and short tempered as Ginny. He constantly was reminded of Hermione's faith in his abilities. His memories of her counsel were his guiding star. When he was discouraged he would remember how she helped him in the D.A. classes and the patience she had when he failed in the spells he learned to cast. Harry had led the classes, but Hermione had been the one who stepped up to help and encourage as well.

Luna had disappeared from the Hogwarts Express on the way home at Christmas. Nobody knew where she was, but it was rumored that her father was being blackmailed with her life to stop printing the _Quibbler_. It worried Neville, but he knew the small witch was much smarter than most thought. Luna Lovegood was a Ravenclaw after all. After her kidnapping, the Weasleys had kept Ginny home for her safety as well. Neville was the lone member of the Unlikely Trio still at Hogwarts.

Neville had been on the run from the Carrows for failure to use Unforgivable Curses on the lower grades. When he passed the tapestry across from the Room of Requirement it opened, there was one hammock in which to sleep. It also provided a w.c., but when he needed food at the end of the first day, he didn't know what to do. Then he remembered another lesson Hermione had taught him-resourcefulness. Since you cannot make food out of nothing, he needed an answer to this conundrum. He asked the room for a way to obtain food. A picture frame appeared on the wall. The picture in the frame was a rural lane that led away from the room. He noticed a figure moving down the lane toward him and when it got near he was pleased to see a young lady. She beckoned for him to follow her. The picture swung wide to reveal a tunnel. When he followed it to the end Neville was surprised to find himself in the upstairs sitting room of the Hog's Head. He was greeted by Aberforth Dumbledore, the bartender. Neville told him what he needed. Aberforth told him to come for food and if there were messages he would send his sister, Ariana, through to get Neville.

The former members of the D.A. still had their charmed Galleons, so he sent a message to Lee to join him. Soon this was where the reports from "Potter Watch" were broadcast. More and more of the students were coming and going from the Room of Requirement when they needed to get away from the torture that awaited them in the halls of Hogwarts. Neville put more of Hermione's lessons together because there needed to be some organization of the students who were in the room. There needed to be enough students in the classes so as to not arouse suspicions, but Neville was not even certain that the teachers cared because they seemed to omit roll call. Neville would come and go from classes taking punishment as meted out, but always remembering that he needed to stand up for what he believed.

This is where they were on the day that Ariana came to fetch Neville one day in early May. Harry had returned to Hogwarts! The fact that he had been able to keep the students' morale up and keep them prepared for the time when Harry would come back was not lost on those who would be holding the reins of power in the school. This is why he was the first student offered an apprenticeship in years, one in Herbology. Neville Longbottom's constant endeavoring to stand up for what he believed had proven him a brave Gryffindor.

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><p><strong>Hogwarts School, Major &amp; Minor Arcana Class Assignment #1<strong>

**Task**: For the first task of the term, I would you like you to write about a character gaining important advice, wisdom or a lesson in life from another character.

**Word Count:** Minimum 500 words, Maximum 2,000 words.


	3. Chapter 3 What I Did For Love

**Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to J.K. Rowling.**

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><p><strong>What I Did For Love<strong>

"I met the most wonderful man on the earth!" Andromeda Black was lying on her back on her bed thinking about the whole situation that was playing out in her mind. Being a smart witch she knew that the chance of her relationship with Ted Tonks was doomed from the start. Still here she was thinking about the muggle man of her dreams. Lying there she tried to figure out what the pros and cons of the situation. Andromeda was a pureblood member of the Ancient and Noble House of Black and contracted to marry Lucius Malfoy. She was a Slytherin at Hogwarts. She was two years younger than her sister Bellatrix whose betrothal contract to Rodolphus Lestrange had just been fulfilled with her marriage. She was two years older than Narcissa who had no betrothal contract, but was madly in love with Lucius Malfoy. Born in 1953 Andromeda was not certain where her loyalties lay.

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><p>Andromeda had ventured on a bet into the muggle world and gone to a pub with friends. There she had been exposed to muggle wonders of ale, lager, darts and freedom. That last wonder was the most exciting and the more she tasted it, the more she wanted. Freedom from the constraints of an aristocratic wizard world where she was part of the upper echelon to the anonymity of the muggle world where she was just another beautiful teenage girl who flirted with boys and listened to music was as powerful as a drug. Andromeda made friends readily and was drawn to Charlie. Charlie whose real name was Charlotte Bronte Davis after the muggle authoress refused to answer to anything but Charlie. After explaining that her parents were controlling and archaic in their beliefs and thus she dressed in such an old fashioned way, Charlie was sympathetic and brought an extra outfit with her for Andy to change into for their outings.<p>

It was on one of these outings that Andromeda was introduced to the budding news reporter for television. Ted was smart and funny and everything the staid, stiff Lucius was not. Ted was patient with Andy and explained what his job entailed and that his goal was to become an anchorman on BBC One. The fact that she had no idea of what he was talking about didn't register to the sandy haired, green eyed man. He, too, was smitten. The couple had outings catch-as-catch-can due to the constraints of his occupation and her rigid home life.

Andromeda had finished Hogwarts with five N.E.W.T.s and was in the midst of wedding planning. Being a member of society the proper balls, teas, luncheons and dinners were interspersed with the shopping and planning for this was to be the society event of the year. She had pleaded for a full year and said that she wanted a late fall wedding. In reality she wanted to put off the nuptials for as long as she could and any earlier would have resulted in marriage within months of completing school.

Today Andromeda had gone with Ted on one of his reporting shoots and was duly impressed with his command of the field and knowledge of the subject being recorded for a documentary on historic sites around the country. He had proposed to her and said that they could be married if the documentary panned out and was selected for a series of shows. She had cried and told him that she was affianced to another. Then she explained the betrothal contract had been in place since her birth and that not only did she not love, nor did she like Lucius that much. She felt he was domineering and cold. Ted said that he was truly in love with her and if she wished they could elope.

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><p>Now Andromeda was lying in her room trying to decide which path she should take. She rolled over on her stomach and summoned a quill and parchment with which to make a list and a book to place the parchment on in order to write.<p>

**Reasons to marry Lucius Malfoy**

The Betrothal Contract

It will make Mother happy due to rank in society (not really because Blacks are an older family in Britain than the Malfoys) Okay change that to international society.

The Betrothal Contract

It will make Father happy because the Malfoys have a lot of money (some say that it was gotten through nefarious means)

The Betrothal Contract

He is a powerful wizard who will use me as a show piece to display for society

He is good looking in an icy way (Okay he gives me shivers when he glares at me)

The Betrothal Contract

**Reasons to marry Ted Tonks**

He loves me

I love him

He promises to cherish me and take care of me

He makes my heart melt when he kisses me

He is not the handsomest of men but he is nice to look at and has a kind smile that includes his eyes.

He is a muggle.

He loves me.

Slipping her paper into her pocket and as many Galleons as she could find, Andromeda looked around. She could cash them in at Gringotts Wizard Bank and withdraw money if she hurried. Luckily she was a witch, so she packed her under things and the clothing that would stand out the least into a leather handbag which had been charmed with an undetectable extension charm and pretended to be ill from "female complaints" in order to buy time while the family dined. She carefully penned a note for Narcissa to leave on her pillow for Narcissa was who would be sent to check on her at bedtime.

_Dear Narcissa,_

_I am writing this with a heavy heart. I find that I cannot marry a man who loves you and that you adore, therefore I am going away forever. I know that I will be disinherited and my name will become unmentionable. I am eloping to Gretna Green to be married to a muggle named Ted Tonks. I love him with my whole being and pray that one day you will forgive me. Please let Mother and Father know that I have gone, but please wait until morning. This will free Lucius to marry you because I will already be married and they cannot stop the wedding._

_In love, your sister,_

_Andromeda_

Carefully folding the note and sealing it with a ribbon topped with wax and pressing her seal to the warm wax the deed was done. Andromeda laid the note on her pillow and called the house elf with her excuse for missing dinner. Once she was certain that everyone was in the dining room, Andromeda disapparated from the building to the garden, and then made her way to the break in the hedge where she could reach the road from which she could apparated. "Good bye, Home," she thought then she headed for her love and her new life.

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><p><strong>Hogwarts School, Major &amp; Minor Arcana Assignment #2<strong>

**Task**: For this lesson, I would you like you to write about a character looking inside themselves whilst going through a hard time, and trying to find their inner peace. However, it **CAN'T **be a sad fic, and there has to be a happy ending.

**Word Count**: Minimum 500 words, Maximum 2,000 words.


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